Dr. Rudolf Diesel invented the well known diesel engine, in the 1890s. The engine’s development was basically an answer to the rudimentary steam engines that had been in existence since the auto-mobile emerged. The steam engines were inefficient and could be dangerous, and the diesel engine was lauded for its reliability as an alternative.
Unlike the petrol engine that was to gain wider acceptance, the diesel engine operates on the basis of compression – ignition. Air enters into the engine cylinder and is compressed when the piston rises, igniting the mixture and emitting power. On the other hand, the petrol engine relies on a spark to explode the fuel mix and requires a backup system of leads, coils and pipes to work.
It is said that the public first got to see the early biodiesel engine at the turn of the century, but it was to be the 1930s before biodiesel fuel was developed, at the time when the oils were converted into fatty acid methyl esters.
When times were plentiful there was not much interest in biodiesel as an alternative fuel. When petro diesel was readily available and quite cheap, vegetable oil based alternatives were not suitable. The vegetable oil in use had a much higher viscosity than petro diesel fuel and this led to experimentation and the development of what we now know as modern biodiesel.
A Belgian inventor came up with a process subsequently termed transesterification in 1937, when he converted vegetable oils as a diesel fuel replacement, but it was to be well into the 1980s before this was perfected due to urgent needs associated with energy security and increased efficiency. The process of transesterification was successfully matched at this time, making biodiesel fuel a real alternative to those concerned about the environment.
In the 1990s, biodiesel became very acceptable in Europe, much to do with the very high prices of petro diesel. Biodiesel first went into production in the US in 1996, and during the decade to follow it has become more and more available and the subject of more interest in general.
We now know how much damage we have caused to our environment through gas emission, industrial and automotive pollution. As we are becoming more aware, energy production costs have been shooting upward. Gasoline prices in the US reached all-time highs within the last few years and this has caused consumers to really sit up and take notice of sustainability. As petro diesel is now more expensive than conventional gasoline and each method of propulsion eats into a typical household budget, alternatives that are seen to be more beneficial to the environment are gaining acceptance.
The history of biodiesel seems set for an exciting chapter ahead as we focus more on energy security, environmental issues and balancing our budgets. These days, homemade biodiesel has become an interesting alternative for independent people as they seek to become better stewards of the environment as well. It comes down to the simple equation of whether a sustainable fuel solution can be produced at a lesser cost than the readily available alternative, and in this case, biodiesel is most definitely the answer. It’s a real solution, and a way forward.
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